Doe and Management Hunts

[justhrowit]

Jay is fit to be tied!

Oh you know I am! That buck hasn't disappeared from my mind since we left!

[Larry]

Couple of randoms from the weekend...pardon the quality as I'm still getting the hang of the iPhone/Binocular combo.

Doe leaving feeder to go hang out with two others and a spike that hung around for about three hours Saturday evening.



Sunday morning first light 8 pt that came sprinting across an open field to the feeder.



Three doe that came in after buck left.



It's fun talking a guy from Chicago into catching an armadillo cooling off in a pond.



The greatness of the Gametamer. It's a bit of a climb but the view from the top is worth it.

[Legdog]

I'm a person of interest!

But I can't see Larry's pics... I'll have to look from home.

[DXTroughneck]

I'll write an overall review of our hunt later on when I get time today. Mostly good, a few negatives but all in all good.

[DXTroughneck]

One of the better paid low fence hunt I've ever been on and I go on 3-5 a year.

The good points:
Tons of deer around and alot of bucks to choose from
House with all the necessities
Nice meat cooler and skinning rack
The price for the quality!!
Big tv with satellite
Stand placement was good
Very nice scenery

The things to improve on:
Maybe have corn in feeders at least a month before season
When hunting party is at ranch, the guides should not be driving around putting up stands and checking game cams during the day and the middle of the night at stands that are being hunted
If guide hunts to and client wants out of stand at dark, said guide shouldn't hunt till dark and pick clients up 30mins to hour after dark
Make sure guide knows were stand is when he takes you ( sorry Jay had to throw that one in there to poke fun!!)


All in all it was a good time and I would go back for sure. Now these are strictly my opinion so I don't mean to hurt any feelings. But folks, the deer are there for the taking and like I said, the money is right.

[justhrowit]

I'll take my lashings for that one, Brandon! Heck, I deserve it! You bet your A_ _ I can find that stand, or any of them, in the dark now!


J

[Skinny]

Certainly might have to get in on a hunt. Maybe bring my wife with me so she can put a couple notches on her new T/C!!!!





Skinny

[Larry]

I'm always one for constructive criticism. Coming from a group that does lots of day lease and paid hunts, I think we did ok. We all do things our own way at the lease or wherever we hunt. The way I do things has always worked for me on my leases, on public land and on trips down south to the MMR...from checking cams whenever to tweaking or setting up stands prior to or during hunt weekends. I struggle with not having just quite the right setups for my (and hunters) liking on that big of a place. If I feel the need to hang a stand on a Friday night that produces a shot on a buck the next morning and another the morning after that...I'll do it again. Overall I think things are rounding out nicely out there. I was less than thrilled with the results last season even though I knew most of it was the abundant acorn crop that killed the feeder hunting like most of Texas experienced. I got a lease this season and wasn't even going to get back out to the Cross J until Tully asked me to two weeks ago. I'm glad I did, and I think it's going to be an awesome season out there. I don't make anything on the hunts. Matter of fact, I bet I lost money on the deal last season and pretty much went home each trip with a stress headache. My trade is having the right to shoot pretty much what I want, but I haven't learned to overcome the guilt of shooting something if a paid hunter hasn't. I didn't even carry a bow/gun to the stand with me this past weekend. Just my phone and binocs.

I'm doing most of this on my own and now with Jay's help. Most of the bow stands are mine, and it's not my land. All of the bow stands are mine and Jay's idea(s), and they work...in my opinion. We got a late start on this season, and I was very honest about my hesitation to sell hunts for opening weekend. I knew in my gut that we'd all see deer, but there's always that thought in the back of the head that it might be a shutout all around. There's just too many deer and not enough natural food sources for us not to see them season, I think.

As for the guiding, picking up, etc...again, I'm cool with the criticism of it. I'm learning. Jay is new out there but learning, as well. I can find those stands in total darkness. I'll put my brain to work on coming up with a way to pick up everyone at exactly dark when some of the stands are 20 mins apart. This past weekend was only Jay's second time out there. We'll figure it out, though.

Brandon's group was a pleasure to share the ranch with. The vibe was just as I want on these hunts. Good group! It's honestly the most hunters I've had on the place at once. I'm leaning toward a max of 4 bows/guns per weekend now, though.

[Larry]

Certainly might have to get in on a hunt. Maybe bring my wife with me so she can put a couple notches on her new T/C!!!!

I dare you.

[Jp.]

Larry, did you get my pm sir.

[Skinny]

I dare you.

Don't make me PM you, Mister!!!!!


Skinny

[Oneway]

Larry pencil myself and 1 child for December, have you got a group together yet for that far in advance?

[DXTroughneck]

Larry and jay, honestly, how'd y'all like the deep fried pork?!?! Looked like y'all were hesitant!! Lol
Jay was explaining to me how most those stands were yours, wow you got some money tied up in this operation. Believe me I don't blame any of the very few dislikes on y'all. I knew tully had given you a late start and I comend you and jay for the work you've done in that short of notice!! Those really were some good stand placements. By the way when I come back I call the pond stand!! I know it is hecktick to guide a hunt and I think y'all did a standup job, the review was just a personal opinion and everyone hunts and runs different, and that my friend is why I don't guide hunts lol !!
Bottom line is I'll be back again this year!

Jay, did we ever figure out who that mysterious person was that messaged you?!?! Gotta clue me in when u find out!! It's been bugging me for you man!!

[Larry]

That fish and deep fried pork was awesome! I don't eat a lot of fried food like that any more and had to force myself to stop. If I'd have sat down, there wouldn't have been any leftovers.

[justhrowit]

I rarely eat anything fried. My hesitation came from the fact that if I had one bite of fried fish, pork, or a french, it's all down hill from there! It was some really good stuff!

HAHA, I forgot about that text from "Stacy". I'll text her back now!

J